This invention relates generally to a mechanism for retrieving spilled substances from a liquid surface and placing the substance in a reservoir, and specifically is directed to an oil spill retrieval device.
It is well known that the contamination associated with an oil spill or a spill of any chemical on a body of water can have extremely dire consequences to the effected environment. Additionally however, the dispersion of the valuable oil or chemical is a luxury which can not be afforded in this day of conservation.
The following U.S. Pat. Nos. reflect the state of the art of which applicant is aware in so far as these patents appear to be germane to the instant application.
3,637,080 Markel PA1 3,804,251 Farrell et al. PA1 3,812,968 Aramaki et al. PA1 4,105,554 Janson
Of these references, the patent to Janson appears to be of great interest since he teaches the use of an oil spill retrieval system in which a conveyor 22 carries oil and water into plural reservoirs for subsequent separation so that the oil is stored and the cleaned water is eventually returned to the body of water. By way of contrast however, the instant application is directed to and claims a trough mechanism associated with a conveyor, the conveyor having a specific configuration to selectively move and separate the oil from the water in a single operation, and the trough being suitably configured to exclude debris and other contaminants that are not subject to processing. The screen 28 of the Janson device, while described as self cleaning includes a geometrical configuration in which the gates 27 and 29 tend to accumulate unwanted debris. Moreover, spilled oil of various viscosities may encounter difficulties in passing on to the conveyor itself.
The patent to Markel is of great interest since he teaches the use of a method and apparatus for skimming flotsam from the surface of a body of water. Floating material such as oil is directed towards and into pockets on a continuously driven conveyor belt which serves to submerge the floating material below the surface of the water. A transfer of the materials is made to a suitable conduit from which the floating material is pumped to a suitable reservoir or station where it is separated from the water. By way of contrast, the instant application is directed to and specifies using the natural buoyant tendency of the oil and it inherent immiscibility with the water to collect substantially all of the oil while allowing the water to return to the body of water without need for subsequent substantive separation, and to this end, does not attempt to force the oil below the surface of the liquid in direct contrast to this patent.
Farrell et al. teaches the use of a similar type of mechanism in which the oil is urged downwardly and rearwardly for subsequent separation.
The patent to Aramaki et al. teaches the use of a ship-like device for recovering pollutants from a water surface by forcing the pollutant carrying water into a downwardly directed bucket so that the pollutant floats on a calm water surface defined therein and a suction means collects the pollutant therefrom. A whirl-generator is contemplated as being disposed within the bucket. Clearly, this device is more batch oriented within the dimensions of the bucket when compared with the instant application, and would not appear to provide the continuous mode of operation set forth in the instant application, since a time lag must be present in order to assure a still water condition within the bucket.
By way of contrast, the instant application is directed to and claims a trough having a conveyor operatively disposed thereon and driven by a suitable source so that an oil water interface can meet the conveyor in such a manner that the oil is carried upon the conveyor and the water is allowed to be discharged through plural openings within the trough in a highly efficient manner. Thereafter, the oil which is retained upon the conveyor is removed by a suction device and thereafter is stored in a reservoir provided with further means for separating whatever water continues to be associated with the oil and passed into the reservoir.